POWER is an organization of low-income parents and allies advocating for a strong social safety net while working toward a world where children and care giving are truly valued, and the devastation of poverty has been eradicated.

Welfare Witness

Welfare Witness was created to promote respect and dignity towards applicants and recipients at the welfare office. They encounter problems ranging from misinformation by overworked caseworkers to less than satisfactory customer service. To improve their treatment, these problems need to be exposed to the public, welfare administrators, and our elected officials.

People who want someone to go with them to the welfare office can contact POWER and we will connect them with a witness. Witnesses need no background in welfare policy, POWER will provide a short orientation. We ask witnesses to listen, record what they hear and see, and share their experience with their communities. Just an open mind and a willingness to learn what really goes on is all someone needs to encourage society to change their policies.

The program will help recipients by providing moral support, alleviating isolation, creating the possibility of better customer service and destroying myths and stereotypes about public assistance recipients.

Do you want to help alleviate the isolation of welfare recipients? Would you like to help destory the myths and steeotypes around welfare recipients? Help us change the climate at the welfare office and become a Welfare Witness.